For me it said You can only do so much before you can't go any further, just practice and keep stretching and push yourself and you'll get there! Stand in this position for ten seconds, then switch sides. You are technically capable of becoming flexible at any age as long as you continue to stay focused on your goal of becoming flexible. This article was co-authored by Michele Dolan. Our Privacy Policy complies with the EU Law 2016/679. You don’t want to or need to. unlocking this expert answer. Most people build strength without flexibility; and as a result, they get tighter as they build strength and age. ", "This article helped me become a better dancer for a competition in which I preformed in Las Vegas. When your feet are together, your big toes should be touching, and your heels should be slightly apart. I stretch every day, and as the time passes, you will see an improvement. As you get older, muscles and joints inevitably get stiffer and tighter. He did the type of body building that’s all about form, not function, so he bulked up by developing huge, extremely shortened muscles. As you get more flexible, try to lift your feet a little higher. First of all, one does not simply “become flexible”. If you stretch every day, it should take somewhere from a month to a year. Before you start stretching, there are a few terms you need to know. All mounting should be done by a professional and weight-tested for safety. By using our site, you agree to our. Anyone Can Become Flexible – Secret #1 of 7. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. If you are doing stretching for martial arts or karate then you might need to do more intense exercises. You can also close your legs into a pike position and reach your arms towards your toes. Here is a fast and delicious green juice recipe for you here:Green Machine Juice Recipe. Try the cat-cow pose to become more flexible in your core, shoulders, and back. In his 20’s, Jake used to have biceps like tree branches, and legs so big his quads didn’t fit into regular pants. I can understand it so easily. ", "I almost have my splits, backbend and scorpion, thanks. ", "This has helped me because I can now do the splits, and I'm really proud! ", "This helped me to become more flexible.". While I was never a body-builder, I was just as stiff as Jake at one point, and I too experienced a similar transformation—but in less than half the time using Gravity Poses, nutritional supplements, and eating healthy foods. Anyone can become flexible, even super flexible, and I first realized this when I met Jake, a former body-builder-turned-yoga student who showed me an old picture of himself. When you work on your flexibility regularly, you are constantly becoming more flexible. What most people would consider extreme flexibility—Splits, Full Lotus, Wheel pose—is actually just natural range of motion. Remember to breathe deeply. To have the statutory right to ask for flexible working arrangements, you must be an employee. "It motivated my stretching routine. Try drinking a green juice before you stretch or before you practice yoga. As … If you are grabbing with your left hand, tip your head to the left side. Keep trying and as you get more flexible, you’ll get closer and closer to touching them. To learn how to use active stretching to become more flexible, keep reading! Pause at the ground, then slowly rise back up to your previous position and do the motion again. Support wikiHow by The secret lies in how you practice, what you practice, and what you eat. When you feel pain while stretching, your body is saying to stop or at least be less vigorous, so do so. According to Jake, the biggest changes for him happened during his travels in India. Myth 3) I can’t become more flexible because I am too old This myth can easily be destroyed by the anecdotes I’ve heard personally. With these I can now do a cartwheel, bridge, almost a split, a handstand, "This is awesome because I really want to be a contortionist and this helped me. This article has been viewed 188,467 times. He had a youthful body, he was super limber, and he seemed to have found a fitness path that would serve him for life. There’s not enough space in this email to explain why green juices help make you bendy, but they do (magnesium, chlorophyll, you get the idea). Did you know you can read expert answers for this article? Is it possible to be flexible and overweight? ", "I used to be as stiff as a board. Dynamic stretching involves repeatedly moving through the same range of motion and active stretching is when you contract a muscle in opposition to the muscle you’re currently stretching. Remember that these exercises are just warm-ups, so ignore those who say you have to undergo pain while stretching. Hire a teacher to teach you privately (do this if you wish to take your dancing further). Hold this stretch for ten seconds on the right side, before switching sides and reaching with your right hand. But now I am closer to doing, "The stretching really helped me. i'm not really flexible at all. These morning stretches you can do … Remember, this will take time so be patient. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Inverted yoga is potentially dangerous. Approved. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002. handstand backbend. ", "I love this so much, I want to be a ballet dancer. If you have tight hamstrings and locked-up hips, I know how claustrophobic and restrictive it can feel. Especially if you keep stretching and moving around, aging will impact you a lot less. Do not hold a stretch for longer than 30 seconds. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Can an employer withdraw from a flexible working agreement if the arrangements are no longer in its interests? If you doubt this, spend an afternoon with any six-year-old kid and you’ll realize that we were all naturally flexible, we’ve just lost it. When you’ve got a good stretch on your left side, switch and do the same thing on your right side. For static stretches, try a straddle position, where you sit with your bottom on the ground, stretch your legs long and open, and walk your hands down as far as you can to stretch your hips and thighs. As you do this, try stretching your neck. Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. Thank you! Having a very sedentary lifestyle will accelerate this process of losing natural flexibility, while being active, exercising, and moving around a lot will keep you limber. Flexible working means spreading working hours over the week or year beyond the regular nine-to-five routine. As you get stronger and more flexible, increase the length of time that you spend skipping each day. Will I come to the point where I will be as flexible as Simone Biles? We won! Details are here: YOGABODY Flexibility Kit, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); YOGABODY Naturals LLC. Stay here for five seconds. You must also have worked for your employer for 26 weeks in a row on the date you make your application. Do fifteen jumping jacks in a row to get your blood pumping. Now that you know the terms, it’s time to warm up. How long will this take if I want to do the splits? This article was co-authored by Michele Dolan. Wait for about 30 minutes, then stretch and keep on trying to accomplish the move you are working on. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 188,467 times. The first one is static stretching : which means you sit in a stretched position and hold for 10-30 seconds. Thank you! See results instantly!_____Check out Go2Towel (the exercise mat in the video!) If you have dreams of becoming a successful gymnast, dancer, or athlete, you will need to be as strong and as flexible as possible. Commit to stretching to become flexible, and you will become flexible. When thinking about stretching and learning how to become flexible, consider you are doing more than just elongating and strengthening your muscles. YOGABODY®, Yoga Trapeze® & The Yoga Teachers College® are internationally-registered trademarks of YOGABODY Naturals LLC. You'll see the results fairly quickly. You are likely to see an improvement in 4-8 weeks. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. By doing this daily or hourly, you can become more flexible. Eventually, I too made my way to India, and while it’s an amazing country and the birthplace of yoga, I realized that the secret to flexibility is not hidden in a foreign land. I want to be more flexible so sooner or later I can be a gymnast. He was practicing long-hold stretches (we’ll get into this more later), eating a strict Ayurvedic diet (this is not necessary), and he did a funky Pancha Karma detoxification program. Stretching Incorporate static stretching. Aging is a major factor in limiting natural flexibility. What you need to focus on is doing simple stretches and conditioning exercises, just so your body is ready when you start taking classes. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Anyone Can Become ‘Wow’ Flexible. One tip is to play, "My favorite stretch was straddle. SAFETY: Students participate in Yoga Trapeze classes at their own risk. By the time I met him, Jake was middle aged and was a long, lean, flexible machine. Stay in this stretch for fifteen seconds. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002. % of people told us that this article helped them. Keep your feet hips-width distance apart. You are, in fact, improving circulation of the blood (lymphatic system), and optimizing the depth … Pull your arm tight until you feel a stretch in your shoulder. To learn how to use active stretching to become more flexible, keep reading! If you don't immediately see improvement, do this routine for a few days and keep trying to touch your toes. I followed some of these tutorials for about 4 months and now I can do 8 inch, "When I was younger I loved dancing, and I was flexible, too, but my parents didn't like me being flexible, because, "Everything helped. ... 12 days ago . There are two types of stretching that you can do to become more flexible. Nearly all big … If you are preparing for a major competition then don't overstretch, it will hurt and make you perform badly. Alternate back and forth. Improved Athletic Ability. Increasing Flexibility Through Static Stretching, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6e\/Be-Flexible-%28for-Children%29-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Be-Flexible-%28for-Children%29-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6e\/Be-Flexible-%28for-Children%29-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid1433942-v4-728px-Be-Flexible-%28for-Children%29-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"